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Outdoors Bear Lake Road, Rocky Mountain NP

Bear Lake

An outdoor spot in Bear Lake Road, Rocky Mountain NP, free to visit and worth about 45 minutes. Best time to go: Early morning.

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Bear Lake in Bear Lake Road, Rocky Mountain NP
Photo: Jacob West · Google

Why go

Flat half-mile loop around a subalpine lake under Hallett Peak, and the trailhead for the park's classic hikes.

It is one of 9 curated places we feature in Rocky Mountain NP, alongside 2 activities, 2 outdoor spots and 2 sights. The closest of our other picks is Alberta Falls, 0.7 mi away as the crow flies. At about 45 minutes, it slots neatly between bigger plans.

Type
Outdoors · Nature
Neighborhood
Bear Lake Road
Price
Free
Time needed
45 min
Best time
Early morning

Nearby

The 6 closest curated picks in Rocky Mountain NP, measured as straight-line distance.

  1. 1
    Alberta Falls

    Easy 1.6-mile round-trip hike to a 30-foot cascade on Glacier Creek.

    Activity · 0.7 mi straight-line
  2. 2
    Sprague Lake

    Easy, flat loop with mirror reflections of the Continental Divide.

    Outdoors · 2.3 mi straight-line
  3. 3
    Moraine Park

    Wide meadow where elk gather, especially during the fall rut.

    Outdoors · 3.7 mi straight-line
  4. 4
    Bird & Jim

    Estes Park restaurant near the Beaver Meadows entrance, with seasonal mountain cooking and a patio.

    Food · 6.4 mi straight-line
  5. 5
    Trail Ridge Road

    48-mile drive topping out at 12,183 feet, with tundra overlooks the whole way.

    Activity · 6.5 mi straight-line
  6. 6
    Estes Park Brewery

    Estes Park's longtime brewpub, open since 1993, for post-hike pints and pub food.

    Drinks · 7.5 mi straight-line

On these curated routes

Bear Lake is a stop on our Colorado Rockies route. Open it to see the full day-by-day plan.

More to do in Rocky Mountain NP

Bear Lake is our only outdoors pick in Rocky Mountain NP; here is what else we recommend there. See the full Rocky Mountain NP guide.

When to go

Average daily highs in Rocky Mountain NP run from 24°F in December to 75°F in July; May is usually the wettest month. For Bear Lake itself, we suggest: Early morning.

Modelled monthly averages for Rocky Mountain NP from NASA POWER, not a forecast. Full Rocky Mountain NP weather by month.

Getting there

Map links open a live search for Bear Lake, so hours and directions come straight from the map app.

Address
Bear Lake Rd, Estes Park, CO 80517, USA
Coordinates
40.31199, -105.64601
Destination
Rocky Mountain NP, Colorado

Bear Lake: quick answers

How much time do you need at Bear Lake?

Plan on about 45 minutes at Bear Lake. That is our curated estimate for a typical visit; groups that linger will want more.

When is the best time to visit Bear Lake?

Our pick: Early morning. Insider tip: Timed-entry permits are needed for this corridor in summer; arrive before 9am or use the shuttle.

Is Bear Lake free?

Yes, we list Bear Lake as free to visit. Check locally before you go, since special exhibits, parking or tours can carry a fee.

Where is Bear Lake?

Bear Lake is at Bear Lake Rd, Estes Park, CO 80517, USA, in Bear Lake Road. The Google Maps and Apple Maps links on this page open it for directions.

Which TripsCircle routes include Bear Lake?

Bear Lake appears on Colorado Rockies, a curated route you can open on TripsCircle and plan with your group.

Add Bear Lake to your crew's plan

Save it to a shared TripsCircle itinerary, settle the timing with a quick poll, and split the costs with everyone going to Rocky Mountain NP.

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Lists & regions

Also in Rocky Mountain NP

Curated recommendation, not live listing data. Confirm hours, prices, bookings and access before you go.